I dare you!
by Niamh Cyneburg
Summary: A dare is defined as an issuing of a challenge. To defy someone to do something. To dare to do something, once must posses courage, or at least lack an instinct of self-preservation. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy are the perfect example of it. Based on Adele's "One and Only" Will they dare to be each other's One and Only?


**I Dare You**

The room was still. You could have cut the tension with a blunt butter knife, it lay that thick.

Wands were half drawn, but the impatient witch in the middle of the maelstrom, just waved her hand at them, and continued her tirade at the scowling blond wizard, that was the other half of the center of attention.

"... and furthermore Malfoy, you haven't given me one damned reason for me to believe any of the rubbish you've been spouting since you walked in here, claiming to be _reformed_," even Ron winced at the way she used air quotes around the word 'reformed.'

Finally he snapped, "What the hell do you want from me Granger? Old Moldypants wants me to kill the Muggles and subjugate the half-bloods, when the whole time, he's a damned Half-Blood himself!"

The already silent room somehow got even more silent. All breathing stopped for just a moment. And then there was an explosion of sound. From the entire assembled order - barring just 4 people in the room.

Malfoy had frozen once he had made his pronouncement of where his true beliefs actually lay. Hermione had grasped the enormity of his change-over when he accepted Voldemort's hypocrisy. Harry had started at Draco's use of the term Half-Blood, instead of the Death Eater monicker of choice - Mudblood, or even the derisive Half-Breed. Ron was still trying to figure out how Draco had gone from loyal little follower to mocking the Dark Lord's chosen title. And then he snorted, "Moldypants." before bursting into laughter. Hermione shook her head, and with a smile that slowly turned into giggling, joined him in his mirth. Harry rolled his eyes at his now, almost borderline hysterical friends and allowed himself a snicker before he stepped forward, and offered his hand to Malfoy.

That worthy raised a perfect platinum eyebrow at him and said with a smirk, "I remember our last offer of friendship, going very differently Potter." Harry's eyes hardened, but before he could withdraw his hand, Draco grasped it, in a firm, cool grip, shook it twice and then dropped it. "We're not friends Potter, but I'm convinced we both want the megalomaniac dead. The sooner the better."

"Agreed," green eyes filled with speculation.

"Alright then, it's Christmas Eve, let's just table this for now." Malfoy rolled his eyes at the bossy brunette that seemed to think she could give him orders. But before he could think up a suitable rejoinder, she added, "You're welcome to join us for a snowball fight Malfoy... if you think you can"

He narrowed his eyes at her, "I beg your pardon? I'm a Malfoy. We don't do snowball fights."

He missed Ron and Harry grinning at each other, knowing this was Hermione's way of showing him that he was a part of something much larger this time.

Hermione simply gave him a wicked grin, completely out of character for her and then pronounced, "I dare you Malfoy" before flouncing out the door where he could hear the game getting started already.  
Puzzled, Malfoy turned to the duo who were no longer bothering to hide their laughter, and asked, "Is she serious? A snowball fight? NOW?"

Harry drew a breath and then said, "As serious as the war around us Malfoy. She knows what its doing to us. All of us. A couple of hours in something mindless will help. Thinking about what lies ahead is going to be difficult enough as it is. Burning out is too big a risk."

And that was the story of how Draco Malfoy very nearly became the first victim of laughing to death. Ron dangling from his ankle while the twins stuffed snow down the ankles of his pants was just too much for the blond wizard to take. 

_You've been on my mind__  
__I grow fonder every day,__  
__Lose myself in time__  
__Just thinking of your face__  
__God only knows__  
__Why it's taken me so long__  
__To let my doubts go__  
__You're the only one that I want_

Hermione sat up in bed, finally being allowed to do more than sleep away the day. The potions they had been giving her had made it easy to slumber, but she despised enforced inactivity, and it smarted that she had survived an entire wizarding war, only to get hurt in an explosion in the Muggle world. Luckily, she was easily recognizable, and the unfortunate incident had occurred quite close to Diagon Alley. A passing wizard had recognized her and managed to get her to St. Mungo's before the Muggles noticed.

"Granger," a hoarse voice acknowledged from the doorway. "You look like hell Malfoy," she deadpanned. The blond indeed looked like he hadn't slept in days. "You're alright then?" he asked, not even responding to her observation. "As well as can be expected when subjected to this slop they call food," she snarked right back. A small smile graced the wizard's face, before he straightened his expression.  
"I want you out of this bed, and back to normal immediately Bookworm," he said, gravely. Annoyed at his seeming unconcern, Hermione retorted, "I actually feel terribly Malfoy. Might have to stay another month or two to recuperate."

He rolled his eyes and then threw a parting shot before he stalked away, "I dare you to be out of here by the end of the week Granger. This lolling around doesn't suit you."  
He pretended not to hear her indignant snort. 

_I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before__  
__Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,__  
__You never know if you never try__  
__To forgive your past and simply be mine_

It would be months before she, Harry and Ron heard of the hours he spent camping at the hospital hoping to hear something about her condition. Or the threats he made her doctor to make sure she was well. Or the way her nurse found him in tears when he had first walked in to hear she was in critical condition.

They never ever found out about the Million Galleons he donated to St. Mungo's in the form of a trust fund for a Magical version of Paramedic Training School. 

_I dare you to let me be your, your one and only__  
__Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms__  
__So come on and give me the chance__  
__To prove that I'm the one who can__  
__Walk that mile until the end starts_

The darkened room smelled strongly of Firewhiskey, and unkempt clothing. The air was stale and warm, probably from the crackling fire in the grate. Malfoy was practically unrecognizable. His hair was messy and uncombed.

Ron and Harry had been sent up by a worried Hermione when Malfoy had been missing for about a week. His fiancées affair had been splashed all over the Daily Prophet ever since she was discovered _in flagrante_ with her lawyer. Knowing he had probably been on a bender and wouldn't want one of the same gender as his betrayer to see him like that, she had despatched a reluctant Boy-who-lived, and his Red-Headed-Bestie to see if he was still alive.

"Bloody Hell Malfoy, come on man," grumbled Ron, as they caught sight of the disheveled wizard, slouched in an armchair near the window. "We know what happened, but you've got to try and pull yourself together." Harry tried to be more gentle. "You can't just lock yourself away because the woman you were in love with did something..."

Ron was cut off as Draco glanced up at him with eyes that seemed to glow with an unholy fire, and interrupted sharply, "Loved? I never LOVED Astoria... Just like she never loved me. It was an arranged marriage. We agreed to it because that's how its always been with Purebloods. We were friends, and we thought..." he trailed off.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances before Malfoy suddenly seemed to explode, "We were FRIENDS damnit, at least that's what I thought, so how she could do this I don't know... She could have just told me... We could have done something... We could have... She didn't have to... do that... Not like that. Not like that," he continued to mumble, burying his face in his hands.

Just outside the door, Hermione tucked a flesh coloured string into her bag, and took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. She silently stepped into the room to see Draco still in his chair, face in his hands, and Harry and Ron looking uncomfortable, yet sympathetic. Draco Malfoy never gave his trust easily, and for one of the few he trusted to betray him this way, was unforgivable to him.

Speaking low and firm, she said, "Draco Malfoy, you've been sulking long enough. The Leaky Cauldron is all fine and well to brood, but it's been a week. You did nothing wrong, and if little Gold-digger Greengrass can't see she lost a loyal friend if not a good husband, then that is her loss." Now that she had his attention, she stepped up to him and squatted on the balls of her feet before him. "You might not have always been a nice boy Malfoy, but you're a good man. Now get up, and let's get you out of here. Let's get you home."

"Not the Manor," he blurted. "I can't go back there."

Looking once at Harry and Ron, she nodded once and then turned back to the wretched man in front of her. "Fine, you're coming back with me. We'll sort something out."  
A sharp look at her best friends silenced any protests that might have been forthcoming.

When he looked about to protest, Hermione's mouth twitched before she said, "I dare you to do this Malfoy. Take your life back."

There was a momentary flash of life in his bloodshot eyes for a second, before they dulled again.  
Nodding blankly, Draco Malfoy followed his former enemies out the door, and to Hermione's modest flat in a beautiful building in downtown London.

By the next week, he had arranged things with his lawyers, and was the new owner of the penthouse in the same building.

He never thanked the trio for snapping him out of him out of his funk. He never thanked them for helping him get back on his feet. He never thanked them for turning out to be the best friends he had ever made.  
But they knew.

_If I've been on your mind__  
__You hang on every word I say__  
__Lose yourself in time at the mention of my name__  
__Will I ever know how it feels to hold you close?__  
__And have you tell me whichever road I choose you'll go_

_I don't know why I'm scared 'cause I've been here before  
__Every feeling, every word, I've imagined it all,  
__You'll never know if you never try  
__To forgive your past and simply be mine_

They were arguing. Again. But this time was serious.

He still carried residual guilt from the war. The casualties he thought he was responsible for.  
This led him to take unnecessary risks. As an Unspeakable, this could be potentially deadly.

The sounds got louder and louder, until finally she unleashed everything she had in a slap right across his face, and then teared up at his shocked expression, and turned to bolt.  
He grabbed her hand, eyes like slits, hauling her back before practically hissing in her face, "What the HELL was that Granger? Who said you could ever do that again?"

Tears streaming down her face, she merely shook her head, trying her hardest to tug away from him.  
Truly angry now, he maintained his iron grip, and dragged her closer, his voice low and deadly, "Tell the truth Granger. What was that about?"

Her eyes filled with sorrowful purpose, before she closed her eyes, and then closed the space between them, catching his lips in a fiery brand that the back of his mind told him was one of a kind. In surprise, he started to respond, when she dragged her hand from his grip and bolted out the door.

It was 3 days before he saw her again, looking drawn and sleep deprived. Sandwiched between Harry and Ron on the moldy sofa in the coffee shop the 4 of them frequented. He walked right up to her, pulled her up, and gave nobody a chance to interrupt before he held her close for a kiss just as mind-blowing as the one she had laid on him.

"Give this a chance Granger, give US a chance," he whispered against her lips, ignoring Harry's sniggering, and Ron's pretend gagging. Leaning against him, she couldn't help a little smile, when she heard him add, "I dare you."

Breathing out, she nodded, tired of fighting this. 

_I dare you to let me be your, your one and only__  
__I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms__  
__So come on and give me the chance__  
__To prove that I'm the one who can__  
__Walk that mile until the end starts_

_I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart__  
__I Know it ain't easy, giving up your heart_

3 years later, no one was surprised to be here. The cathedral was beautiful. Bedecked in the white orchids with purple centers that the bride preferred. Their delicate scent wafted down the aisle. The pews were filled with family and friends, all of whom had witnessed the strangest love story of their times. The schoolyard enemies, the reluctant war time comrades, the comfortable colleagues, the close friends, and finally the couple who made the most sense, while making no sense at all.

In the ante room at the back, the 2 least helpful groomsmen of all time, and the world's worst bestman, were of absolutely no help at all to the borderline panicking groom. "She's going to come to her sense and just leave. I'm telling you, she's not going to show up," he barely managed in a strangled voice. Blaise Zabini burst into laughter at that, while Harry and Ron just sat there. Giggling.

Malfoy scowled. Fat lot of good these were.

There was a knock at the door, and he collapsed into the armchair, moaning, "That's probably Red come to tell us she's called off the wedding."

Harry answered the door, still grinning, only for Pansy Parkinson to waltz in, glancing at the scene before her and summing it up immediately. "Draco darling, Granger wanted Ginny to give you this, but I volunteered to come instead."  
She held out an envelope until Draco's shaking hand took it.

Turning her piercing blue eyes on the other 3 occupants of the room, she singled them out one at a time. "Harry, Ginny asked me to remind you of how nervous you were at your wedding, and to lay off the ferret. Quote, unquote."

She barely stifled a laugh at how quickly Harry sobered.

"Ron, unless you want to spend the rest of the week on the sofa in the living room, I'd suggest you start being of some use." Ron stopped mid-snigger at Harry, and scowled at his girlfriend. She in turn just gave him a feral grin before unleashing the last bombshell of all. "Oh and Blaise, darling, Ariana was outside. I showed her to a seat before coming in here. I hope you don't mind."

Blaise just gulped and nodded. Ariana Lisabeta Casiraghi was a pint sized ballerina, with a Russian mother, an Italian father, and a temper to match Hades himself. She was also passionately fond of Hermione, and woe betide Blaise if he upset her. His fiancee might have been diminutive in stature, but she was capable of bringing the 6' 3" wizard to his knees just from a verbal tirade.

Satisfied that she had knocked some sense into the 3 companions Draco had, she turned to hug her pseudo brother before she left the room, only to find him smiling at the note Hermione had put into the envelope.

Perfectly calm, he folded the note into his pocket and then turned to the rest of the room. "Alright boys, let's go," he said, before picking up his jacket, with Blaise helping him to put it on.

_So I dare you to let me be your, your one and only__  
__I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms__  
__So come on and give me a chance__  
__To prove that I'm the one who can__  
__Walk that mile until the end starts__  
__Come on and give me a chance__  
__To prove that I'm the one who can__  
__Walk that mile until the end starts._

The note, which he would carry with him for the rest of his life contained just one line, "Spend forever with me Malfoy... I dare you."

* * *

A/N - Rabid damned plot bunny took up residence in my brain. Now that I've got it out, I'm hoping that my writer's block with Unspeakable will clear up. I even have the ending in sight, but I'm stuck with a middle bit.

Review Please!


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